


A Feast Fit for a King

by nausicaa82



Series: Thundershield Prompts [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Dating, Fluff, Food, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-19 03:03:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1453051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nausicaa82/pseuds/nausicaa82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From prompt: Steve and Thor go to an all-you-can-eat buffet!</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Feast Fit for a King

Tony never says anything about it, but Steve still feels guilty enough about his appetite and the high cost of food that he never allows himself to eat until he’s full. Honestly, he never really eats more than about fifty percent of what he could, what he wants. There is always the hunger still there, even after the seemingly large portions he takes at everyone’s insistence.

Despite the guilt of his desires, Steve admires how shameless Thor is about his own hunger. He eats with abandon, constantly talking about each tasting— the texture, the aroma, the flavor profiles. Clint accuses him of being a ‘foodie’ one lunch at the tower, (which Steve discretely wrote down to investigate later, it sounded negative). Thor just smiles at the label and asks for more of Natasha’s borscht, complimenting her on how well the smoky undertones compliment the potatoes and beets. Clint rolls his eyes, but Steve sees pride in hers as Thor ladles his sixth bowl for the meal.

Sometimes Steve’s afternoon independent study sessions are more than a little upsetting and most of the time, completely draining. Having decades of war and complex political structures to wade through gets depressing. Reading about food culture on this day is a welcome reprieve, and when he stumbles upon the concept of an ‘all you can eat’ buffet, he can’t help but laugh out loud.

“So you pay a fixed amount, and then you just get to eat as much as you want!” Steve is border line manic at the thought of using his own money to finally eat to his stomach’s content. Thor’s holding his hand as the two of them walk along the street to their destination: a place Steve found online that had great reviews and few health code violations.

“Why would you ever not eat as much as you want?” Thor asks casually as a passerby recognizes them and waves but doesn’t approach them. They wave back and are at the door before Steve can really explain; instead he reads the sign out loud.

“Fredrick’s Super Buffet.”

“Well, we are _super_ heroes!” Thor assures and pulls his captain along.

Inside, the decadent blue-green wallpaper and gilded light fixtures seem to belong to a different time or at least a different country than the one Steve woke up in. It is how, when he was young, he thought a king’s or czar’s palace would look like. Thor is clearly not as awestruck, just as comfortable here as he is in the Avengers Tower or a greasy diner in the city.

A polite waiter takes their drink orders, gives them large warm plates, and directs the two men to enjoy the buffet at their leisure before gliding away. There are stations with different types of food manned by chefs in impeccable white uniforms around the main floor. For reasons he can’t quite place, Steve’s hands start to tremble and the color runs from his face.

“I have a challenge for you, my love,” Thor offers, observing the change in Steve but not drawing his attention to it. The smaller man swallows and looks back to his date who is now cradling his hands, smiling at him like nothing is wrong.

“What’s that?”

“We split up and bring back only foods we have never tried before. Taste new tastes! It will be an adventure and worthy quest for a place so fine. Then our later trips will be things we know we enjoy, a reward for our bravery.” Steve nods his head in agreement with a slight smile.

When they return, each has a plate full of a mishmash of vegetables, meats, and items that they only know the name of because of the signs next to the pans. They take bites of each other’s findings, discussing the food passionately as they agree and disagree about flavors. When they each try a piece of sushi off of Steve’s plate, his eyes get big as he chews then swallows.

“It was like that tuna melted on my tongue! Is that what fish does if you don’t cook it?”

“Some do, I believe, but not all. That was a very fine fish dish. The rice has a taste unlike the rice I have had before. Next we should try this—” Thor cuts the brown square on his plate. “It was described as a bread of meat.”

“Oh! That’s meatloaf!” Steve chews it slowly then shakes his head from side to side. “It’s good, but not as good as my mother’s.” Thor can see the tension gone from Steve’s shoulders, the ease of his smile doubled, and the sparkle in his eyes. They have been dinning for over an hour and show no sign of slowing down, but Steve has not even noticed.

“Please tell me about how she would prepare this dish for you,” Thor requests then takes a bite of mashed potatoes as Steve begins.


End file.
